Grand Theft Auto III A Novelisation
by Xyon
Summary: A novelised version of GTA3. Chapter SIX now up. Please R&R. Expect more soon!
1. Lay Low

**Grand Theft Auto III**

**Disclaimer: Lets get this out of the way. I don't own GTA or anything about it, unfortunately, I just like the game, and thought I'd try to 'faithfully' scribe it down to a story.**

**A/N: Please read and reply, this isn't my first story, but it is the first time I've tried to 'novelise' something. Let me know what you think. I don't have time to finish this, so this is probably all I'm ever gonna do. Thanks. Also, for the record, I was planning to write about the missions, as well as the extras like the races and other jobs, as well as the kill frenzies and random killings in a dream sort of thing. I was also planning to tell the story of what happened to him as a confessional thing to Marie. I'm afraid it does get a bit complicated, I didn't get around to naming the guy so there's a lot of 'him' and 'he' that can get a bit confusing.**

**Part 1: ****Liberty****City****: Lay Low**

The sentinel burned behind him. It was a charred, black mess that lay intertwined with the armoured car that they had been sat in. The light from the fire made patterns on the car in front of him. He turned to examine the sight behind him. Support struts had fallen on the bridge, making escape to Staunton Island impossible. His thoughts were interrupted by the other man that stood near him. He knew the guy to be 8 Ball, re-nouned for his talents with explosives.

"I know a place on the edge of the Red Light District where we can lay low," 8 Ball obviously knew what he was doing, "but my hands are all messed up so you better drive, brother." 8 Ball turned and got in the Kurma, the green paint flickered in the light of the flames. The street lights had been taken out.

He had no choice. 8 Ball was waiting for him, expecting him to act. He didn't know what time it was, but it was sometime after four am. He had no money, no weapons and only one way to escape. He knew that helping 8 Ball would land him in a web with whoever set up the attack on the car. The wail of sirens broke the silence. 8 Ball turned to him.

He turned and ran to the car, jumping in the seat in front of 8 Ball. Starting it, the radio jumped to life, it was set to Head, some awful music playing at full volume. He drove off. Reaching the end of the bridge, he went right into Chinatown. Despite the time of day, there were countless cars on the roads.

8 Ball was unimpressed, he made it known, "Come on man, speed up!" He kicked the seat.

He turned the radio down. "We can't go speedin', two guys in orange jump-suits, drivin' a stolen car from the scene of a crime, we wouldn't even make it to your hideout!"

8 Ball kept quiet. The man was right. As he said it, three police cars sped past. He simply gave directions to his new driver. "Here, right after the drugstore, yeah up there." They parked outside of Eddie's Garage. A quiet little corner on the edge of Red Light. 8 Ball immediately got out, "this is the place right here, lets get off the street and find a change of clothes."

Ten minutes later, and he was in a leather jacket. 8 Ball came out and gave him a key. "I know this guy, he's connected, his name's Luigi, me an' him go way back so i could probably get you some work. C'mon, let's get over there." Once again, 8 Ball got in the car and just waited.

This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't need to get pulled into the Mafia, or any of the gangs in Liberty, he needed to get to Staunton Island so he could find out where she went. This wasn't the time though, and he got in the car before 8 Ball got pissed off.

"C'mon, it's just in Red Light. You can use this place while you work for Luigi, just come in an' park up, Eddie won't be botherin' you, if ya know what I mean."

Once again following 8 Ball's instructions, he drove the car round to Luigi's, a small club. It was lighter now, the sun was just starting to come up, but the club was draped in the shadow of the other buildings. He parked the car half on the sidewalk, and they both got out.

"Let's go round back." They went round, the tradesman's entrance to the club. "Wait here man while I talk to Luigi," 8 Ball just opened the door and walked in. This was crazy shit. He didn't wanna be here, but he needed the money, and it sure beat mugging.

Suddenly a tall man came out. Obviously just a lackey, not anyone important. He had seen enough to know that this guy was all talk, nothing to be afraid of. He turned and held the door open. A shorter man came though, "one of my girls needs a ride, so grab a car and pick up Misty from the clinic. Then bring here back here. Remember, no-one messes with my girls! So keep your hands on the wheel!" he looked pissed, this had obviously happened before. He was surprised though, that this man was trusting him, after never even seeing him before, "if you don't mess this up, maybe there's more work for you," great, suddenly he'd been pulled into the Mafia world, somewhere he didn't want to be, "now get outta here!"

The man stepped back inside, as did his associate. He was left alone in the back alley. Turning to leave, he saw that the sun was out and it shone down on the car. The bright reflections hurting his eyes. He jumped back into the Kurma, several horns blasting at him for parking on the road, and screeched it around so it was facing the other way. The Kurma was one of the better cars for this sort of action.

After passing several sets of lights, which all turned red as he got to them, he finally turned onto Portland view, the hospital in sight. It was within walking distance of Luigi's, she could have walked back herself. Cutting across the road, he parked outside the hospital and stopped in front of Misty. He rolled down the window, "Luigi sent me, get in," and with that, she did. He was surprised, she had never seen him before, yet she seemed to trust him, for all she knew, he could be from a rival gang.

Sitting behind him, she introduced herself, "hi, I'm Misty," he turned the car again, speeding off into Saint Marks's and Chinatown. It was clear when he entered the Red Light District, sex shops marked the border. This was Mafia country, a dangerous place to be.

One of Luigi's men was stood outside. Misty recognised him and jumped out the car. The bodyguard bent down to the window to talk to him "Luigi wanted me to give you this," it was $1500, not bad for driving a car a handful of metres. "He said to come back if you want more work." And with that, he turned and followed Misty round the back of the club.

He drove off, straight down the road into Hepburn Heights and then left. The road was just to the right of the garage, and it was a right turn only, looking left & right, he saw no cops and decided to rush forward, spinning the car around, over the grass and drove up the little ramp, parking the car in the garage before entering the room. He needed sleep, the cops often moved prisoners at night, and he hadn't slept in ages.

He knew that over the coming weeks, he wouldn't much sleep at all.


	2. Don't SPANK Ma Bitch Up

**A/N: I want to thank everyone for the response to the first chapter. I never thought it would be so good. But I've finally found some time to do some more. Oh, and I've also given him a name now, not great but I want to make it clear that he isn't supposed to part of any of this. Please R&R.**

**Part 2: ****Liberty****City****: Don't Spank Ma Bitch Up**

He woke. The clock told him that it was almost three pm. Several hours had passed. He didn't know what to do now, he needed to get over to Staunton Island, but with the bridge and tunnel out, he would have to take a boat. Getting back in the car, he spun around and looked for cops, he needed to go left, the road would only let him go right.

There were no signs of life. No people. Nothing. He rushed forward, over the verge, as a cab came screaming to a halt behind him. Ignoring the blasting horn, he drove down the outer road. Lights always turned red as he reached them. The cab pulled up next to him, the driver was red faced, screaming at him. The lights went green and he drove off. The next set turned red. The cab pulled up again, the driver shouting.

That was enough. He had had enough, jumping out of the car he ran over to the cab, and dragged the driver out of the cab through the window. "Shut the fuck up!" was enough to silence the cab driver, who eventually crawled back into the cab and took a left, to get away.

Meanwhile he got back in the car and drove forward. The time he had spent on the cab driver meant that all the lights were green. He drove under the bridge and turned right into the tunnel and out to Callahan Point. There were no boats. Fog clouded his view of the island, completely separated, he examined the bridge. The centre had collapsed into the water. The gap was too far to jump, he knew that. Flashing lights signalled the start of the repair work, it would take weeks to finish.

He got back in the car and left the tunnel. There was no way that he could head left without the cops catching him. Greasy Joe's cafe was on the corner, he headed inside for something to eat. Sat in the corner of the diner, he watched as truckers came and went and counted as three fights took place. Glancing down at his watch, he saw the time, almost seven pm. It was time to leave. But he needed money, he would have to go back to Luigi, back to the mafia and a whole host of trouble.

*        *        *

The tradesman's entrance to Luigi's was dark and dank. Water dropped from overhead pipes. This was a horrible corner of the worst part of the Red Light District. He banged on the door. The same hired nobody came out. "Luigi said, to give you this," he handed him a letter. "What's your name?"

He stopped. Did he want the mafia to know his name whilst he was trapped on the island? "Jason." He left the hovel and headed for the car, seeing a baseball bat propped up on the car. He picked it up and sat inside to read the note. It was a rant by Luigi. Someone was giving his girls a new drug, SPANK, and he had to 'introduce a bat to his face'.

There had better be some money for this. He didn't need to get caught for some petty car theft and assault. Before long, he found himself at Portland docks. Pulling off the road, he was able to watch the target. He was talking to two hookers with his car, a pink Stallion, waiting beside them.

Jason was in too deep to quit now, he'd have to do this guy or someone will introduce a bat to his face! Revving the car, he let down the handbrake and rushed forward. The target looked up at the last second, too late to move. The hookers dived out the way as Jason pulled on the brake and swung the back of the car into the dealer.

Jason stepped out, bat in hand. The dealer stood up and tried to walk, his leg was broken and he could only hobble. He pulled out a gun as Jason connected the bat to his head. The guy fell. Blood began to pool around him. Jason let loose, the bat fell to the floor and he used his fists to beat the dealer.

The hookers ran screaming. Four men walked by, then stopped to see the commotion. They ran forward. Jason jumped into the car. The keys were left in the ignition. The radio jumped into life, the noise was unbearable, he went to hit it, but held back. Luigi needed this car in one piece. He sped past the men gathering around the dealer.

As he reached Red Light, he saw an ambulance speed past. Looks like the guy would live, just about. But there was no way the cops would find him. His car was already at the Pay & Spray in Red Light. He flicked on the radio to Chatterbox. Some woman complaining about video games. He needed to hear news about the bridge.

Backing out of the garage and turning into Portland View, he killed the radio and looked out for Luigi's lockup. Exactly opposite the hospital he saw the lockup and a guy waiting outside. He pulled up to the guy. "You Jason?" he nodded, "park the car in there," he pointed to the open garage. Jason left the car, "here," he handed Jason an envelope, "Luigi says to come back, he has more work for you."

The guy turned and entered the garage, closing the door behind him. Jason looked in the envelope, $4000, that would do for a while. An Esperanto drove by slowly, he ripped the door open, pulling the guy out and jumped inside, heading for Eddie's. This was the start of something big, and he knew it.


	3. Drive Misty For Me

**A/N: I've been having trouble with my copy of GTA3, (it all started with a dodgy mod and some corrupted files), but it's back now and I hope to keep the updates continuous. Thanks for the overwhelming support. Also, I've decided to change the way I do some of the writing from now on, you'll see what I mean, but I was afraid of over-repeating myself with certain parts.**

**Part 3: ****Liberty****City****: Drive Misty For Me**

He was resolved now. The Callahan Bridge was set to take weeks before he could use it and he needed cash, and something to do to keep him from going insane. He sat in the car and watched as the door in the building before him opened. Misty walked out. He stared at her, switching the radio off. His meeting with Luigi came back to his mind.

He had used the back door again. Luigi was talking to the doorman, who was apparently called Mick. He was to pick up Misty from somewhere in Diablo territory, and take her to the Don's son, Joey, who had a garage in Trenton. Luigi had said, "this is your foot in the door, so keep your eyes on the road and off Misty!"

She eventually reached the car and sat next to him. "You workin regular for Luigi now huh? It's about time he got a driver we can trust!" Jason started the car and drove off, he noticed several Diablo's looking at him. This area would be out of bounds soon.

"So does Luigi have problems with drivers?" Jason had to say something, and he wanted to know why Luigi was so paranoid.

"You could say that," she looked out the window. "The last two guys tried it on with me. And one of 'em sold some 'secrets' to the Diablo's. You need to be careful, if he thinks you're up to something, he'll do to you what he did to them."

"And what was that?" Jason knew that he could survive anything Luigi had, especially when the bridge re-opened. But he didn't take on the mob just yet.

She fell silent and turned to look at him. "You don't wanna know."

The garage was in an awkward place. It was next to the road, but there was no link, short of driving over the grass, so he had to go out past the docks or round to the bridge to get there. They eventually pulled up and both entered the garage. Misty ran over to the mechanic, Joey.

Jason looked round at some of the tools on display while they talked. He was no mechanic, but he was sure that some of these devices were not for cars. He wondered if it was possible to be related to the mob, but have a completely legitimate business. Probably not.

Joey smacked Misty's ass as she ran into the back room. He walked over to Jason, shaking his hand. "You must be Jason, I'm Joey. Luigi said you were reliable so come back later, there might be some work in it for you, alright?" Jason just stood there. "Oh right, the money." He rummaged in his pocket before finding a wad of cash. "Here."

Jason thanked him and left, checking the money outside. $1000, he got more for driving Misty a few feet! His car had already been stolen. Nothing was safe in Liberty City. As he crossed the road, the payphone began to ring. Checking his watch it was midday. People walked past him. He answered the phone.

The man on the other end was ranting. He was meeting his bank manager, "he's a crooked bastard that keeps bumping up our loan repayments so he can cut a slice. Take my car, pick him up and bring him back here, I've got a little surprise for that blood sucking leech!" The guy owned the Bitchin' Dog Food factory, next to where Jason stood. The gates opened as he approached and found the car, a green Perennial, in the back corner.

Passing the bridge as he headed for the manager, he noted the builders leaving the bridge. It wasn't even 5pm, the bridge would never get finished! The bank manager was stood outside his office. Jason sped the car across the road. The guy got in, Jason screeched around a U-turn before he could close the door. "Mr Chonks sent you did he. Let's go and pay the fellow a visit."

The sun started to shine and reflect on the passing cars as Jason sped back out to the factory. The gates opened as he pulled up. Parking the car outside the main office, the bank manager got out and headed inside. Jason sat in the car waiting, trying not to listen to what was going on inside. "Get your hands off me arse!" Then silence. A man came out of the office, he was covered in blood and handed Jason an envelope before returning to the building.

Inside was a note, telling him to take the car to the crusher in Harwood. There was also $1000 cash for his trouble. He was fast becoming an expensive taxi. The crusher was easy to get to, once he past the docks, it was a straight, and therefore fast, run across town. The crusher itself was simple, park the car and get out. Before Jason could slam the door, the crane already had the car a foot in the air.

He walked away, back up the hill and only heard the painful cries of the car as it was turned into a small cube of metal. He walked to the auto yard. There were several cars before the empty showroom. He smashed the window of a Perennial and hotwired it. The alarm sounded as he stormed into reverse, smashing through the showroom. He got out to find his real prise.

A Banshee stood before him. This one had the keys under the visor and no alarm. A thick fog had set in. No-one saw him leave with the sports car, heading for home.


	4. Pump Action Pimp

a/n: sorry its been so long since an update, but I've been bogged down with college work. Please R&R.****

**Part 4: ****Liberty****City****: Pump Action Pimp**

It was two am. Jason had been driving around for hours. He couldn't sleep when the fog was this bad. He stopped at the traffic lights by Luigi's club in Red Light. They looked red, but it was hard to tell, the club lights shone through the fog. He got out the car and headed round back, he needed something to take his mind off his life.

Someone must have seen him because Luigi stormed out before he could reach the door. "Some Diablo scumbag has been pimping his skuzzy bitches in my backyard. Go and 'take care of things for me'." Jason was about to speak but Luigi cut him off, "if you need a piece, go around back of AmmuNation opposite the subway." He stormed back inside.

This was just what Jason wanted. Someone to kill. And a reason, to ease any possible guilt. He ran back to the car, the fog was beginning to lift. A car sped past him, he had held up the traffic. Horns blasted at him as he stepped inside and shot off from the once again red light. AmmuNation was easy to get to, a gun had been left out for him in the shooting area behind the store. He grabbed it and headed back for the car.

He pulled forward, back the the lights. He was debating how to catch the Diablo scumbag when the car turned left from outside Luigi's club. The awedacity! Jason hit his foot to the floor and sped towards the Diablo car. They hit head on. The rears of both cars flew into the air. The airbag in Jason's car quickly exploded but was beaten by a knife. The two cars were mangled together. The front of the cars had pushed back, forcing the doors shut. Jason tried to kick his door open.

The two men in the Diablo car climbed out the window. By now, a crowd had formed. A woman walked to the Diablo men, she wanted to offer help, but was met with a shotgun to the chest. Jason looked in horror. This isn't what he wanted. The man opened fire on the car. Jason jumped out of the seat and onto the road. The crowd dispersed. Smoke and flames came from the cars engine. Jason stood and jumped away as the two cars exploded, lifting a foot into the air.

The gunman was too close. He was thrown across the road, dead. He landed next to Jason. The other man stood up. He was shaken but pulled a gun out. He stood over Jason. His hand moved to the fallen shotgun. The Diablo man pointed the gun at Jason, "Die motherf-" Jason pulled the shotgun out from under the corpse, pulling the trigger.

The body fell to the floor. Without the head, which was shattered and thrown across the area. Jason heard sirens in the distance. A car pulled up behind the wreak. Jason stood, he was covered in blood. Not his. The car driver looked scarred. He was about to drive away when the shotgun was pushed to his face. He opened the door and got out, Jason threw the back end of the gun in his face before stealing the car and speeding away.

He drove away from the scene. His pager beeped and shook in his pocket. A message from AmmuNation, "the pistol is now in" scrolled across the screen. He might need that. Quickly finding himself outside Joey's garage, he sat there. A quick kill was all he wanted, not an explosion and some innocent casualties.

What had he become? A hired killer? He wanted to kill someone this morning and Luigi had given him an excuse. Contemplating his thoughts, Joey smashed his hand on the window.

"Hey." Jason rolled the window down, "man is Luigi pissed at you?! You killed the Diablo too close to his club, and it was too noisey, i mean, blowing up a couple a cars, are you mad?" Jason looked forward, not at Joey. "Anyways, I need you to do a job for me. some guy, Mike Lips, he's eating lunch at Marco's Bistro. Steal the car and take it to 8 Ball, you know 8 Ball right, then bring the car back. He won't be eating lunch forever, so hurry up." He handed him a brown bag, "here's the cash for this, and for Luigi. $14,000, don't spend it all at once."

Joey turned and headed for the garage. Jason was on auto pilot. His foot hit the floor and his hands turned the wheel. But his mind was somewhere else. The past events flashing through his head. He was already at the Bistro in Saint Marks. The grey Idaho stared a him. It taunted him.

Jason knew that if he didn't do this, he would be dead. He needed to get out. Out of Liberty City and out of the rut that he was stuck in. And he knew something else. He would have to be the faithful dog, the errand boy and mindless killer, to stay alive, and to leave.

He stepped into the car. The radio blared noise at him. It got switch off. The car screeched backwards into the road and then forwards as Jason performed a handbrake turn. He would have to keep the car in one piece, and an undented one at that, or Mike Lips would know that it had been tampered with. He still drove fast though. Overtaking every car in the road and barely stopping to let an old lady finish crossing the road. She must have been deaf, because she never even noticed him as he screeched to a halt mere centimetres from her.

She finally reached the sidewalk and he started again, handbrake turning into 8 Balls place. Moments later and he was back in reverse, this time with a bomb under the backseat. If he crashed this car now, he would be in big trouble. The ride back was a lot shorter, more cars careered off the road to avoid him. No cops ever caught him though. Slowing down as he reached the Bistro, he carefully parked the car back in the space and armed the bomb.

Quietly stepping back into his own car, he headed down the hill. The explosion rang through his ears. Several car windows smashed and people screamed in fear and pain. He saw the flames and the cloud of smoke in the mirror but thought nothing of it. This was his life now. And he had to live it.


	5. The Fuzz Ball

**A/N: I have to admit that I never thought this story would be this popular. Sorry it's been so long but I've been bogged down with college, as well as losing my GTA disk and having serious problems with my pc. I'll try to keep the updates coming thick and fast. Thanks. PS: thanks for the recommended reading, 'Six Stars' kicks ass!**

**Part 5: ****Liberty****City****: The Fuzz Ball**

Jason gingerly strolled round the back of Luigi's. His 'stunt' with the Diablo's had apparently pissed him off big time. The heavy opened the door before he could knock. He looked down on Jason, eyes burning into him. Jason was ready to get out of there, to hide out and wait for the bridge to open, to kill this guy and run. But then Luigi came out. Jason was ready to make excuses.

His mind went blank when Luigi started shouting about a policeman's ball. Had he really forgotten so soon? Shaking off the shock, Jason started to listen, he needed to know what his job was today. "Now I got girls all over town walkin' the streets. Get 'em to the ball they'll make a bundle. Get as many as you can before they drink away their green." Luigi and his goon headed inside.

Jason looked at his watch, he figured he had around ten minutes to get the girls and he would need at least four. He ran to the front of the club, a Perennial was stopped at the lights. Jumping into the passenger seat, he forced the driver out the car and sped off. Screeching around the corner he recognised a girl from Luigi's club and stopped. She got in and he teared around the city, driving like a maniac. The girls pointed each other out, it made it easier for him.

The car filled quickly and he made a dash for the station, screeching to a halt outside the main door. The girls got out, that was three. Jason looked at his watch. There wasn't long left. He saw another girl and the car leapt over the grass, roads meant nothing at the moment. Finding himself on the other side of town, he finally filled the car again. Passing motorists shouted obscenities and swerved out the way. On Portland View, he only just missed a head on collision. Shaking it off he dropped more girls at the station. Then it rained. The pedestrians ran for cover while the ground get wetter.

Tearing through the city streets, he picked up another girl and headed for another. Realising the time, he slammed on the brake and swung the car around. By the time he reached the station, the doors were locked. The hooker left his car and immediately got into another. He sat there, outside the station, wondering who had the worst job.

It was much later in the day. The night started to draw in. He walked through the back streets and alleyways in the Red Light District. Then he found something. On the floor was a skull. Jason bent down to have a closer look. Picking it up, he found a note inside. "Kill 30 Diablos in 120 seconds". What the hell was this. Turning around, he saw a gun lying near a pile of boxes.

Compelled to pick it up, Jason walked onto the main street. No-one noticed him, or his gun. A Diablo was on the other side of the street. He looked at his watch, only 110 seconds left. Pulling the trigger, the gun erupted. The noised echoed through the street while bullet casings hit the floor. The Diablo fell to the ground. Turning, Jason saw three more head for him. He pulled the trigger again. The kickback forced his hand up and threw off his aim. The first lost a log. It just fell to the floor. The next lost an arm. Blood spurted over the other guy as they both fell to the floor. The third lost his head. It exploded, it didn't even hit the floor. Blood shot a metre high. Jason saw the pool of blood around the three. It started to run down the street.

Then whack. Something hit his head. A Diablo had crept up on him and used a bat. At point blank range, he didn't stand a chance. Jason headed down the hill. More Diablos. More bullets. More limbs hit the floor, separated from the bodies. The kill count was rising as the time was going down. As the bodies fell, bundles of money hit the floor. He ran over and grabbed them. His watch started to beep. The final ten seconds. Another group of Diablos was running towards him. The gun rained down on them. Only five went down. Then the gun choked. It was finally out of ammo. The timer stopped. It froze on three seconds. He had done it!

But the other Diablos were still coming for him. He dropped the gun and ran across the road. A taxi pulled in front of him. Ripping the driver out, he sped down the hill into Hepburn Heights, then back home.

Jason woke in a cold sweat. His head was thundering. It pounded and deafened him until he stood up. It was another day, so expect another mission, another job from the mob. His dream was started to cloud over. He remembered a killing spree. Dead Diablos on the floor, soaked by their own blood. "It was just a dream," he kept telling himself over and over again.

He opened the garage door. A taxi lay still before him. He hadn't driven a taxi the night before. In fact, the last time he drove a taxi was ... in his dream. He shook it off. He was mistaken. He had to be. He span the car out of the garage and headed for Joey's. As usual, he could hear Joey shouting and the noise from the mechanics before he opened the door.

There was no 'welcome', no 'hello', it was straight to business. Someone was pushing SPANK from a noodle hut in China Town. Joey started to calm down, his words became easier to understand. "That rat has sold his last stir fry. I want you to take him out!" He paused for a moments thought, "well remember, just watch your back in China Town, it's Triad territory." He fumbled in a draw and handed a small envelope to Jason, "here's the cash for this, and the thing with Luigi. He said his girls had a ball and made a mint!"

Jason left. Had everyone except himself forgotten about the incident outside Luigi's? He quickly found the noodle hut. Triads walked passed the car, they gave him dirty looks. This would end badly. The hut was in the centre of a pedestrianised block with pillars to stop cars. There was no way he would be able to get any closer. One of the blocked entrances gave him a clear line of sight to the target.

Stood in the hut, two Triad guards stood outside. They were expecting a direct assault on the dealer. Jason left the car and hid around the side of the building. Leaning out just enough, he aimed the pistol, "farewell Chunky Lee Chong." He fired. Chong fell to the floor. His outfit quickly soaked with blood. The people around scattered and hit the floor. The guards turned and ran for him. Jumping back into the taxi, he started it as the two guards ran infront of him.

Into drive and forward. The two flew up over the bonnet. Their mangled bodies lay on the floor as the taxi screeched around the corner onto the main road. Stopping at the last lights before home, Jason took out the envelope and counted the money. A total of $1300 for the two jobs.

Something ate away at him though. He knew that tensions between the mob and the Triads was reaching fever pitch. It wouldn't be long before he was fighting a war.


	6. Van Heist

** A/N:** I have to thank you all for your feedback and support. I'd never imagined that this story would be so popular and widely read. I've got plenty of excuses for the long wait, but I won't waste time putting them here, we all wanna get straight to the story. Lets just hope it lives up to your expectations and keeps you happy until the next instalment.

**Part 6: Liberty City: Van Heist**

The cab of the mule stunk with fuel. A pair of furry dice bounced from the mirror as he swung around the corner in Chinatown and the payroll van finally came into view. It's thick, armoured shell reflected the light and the cars around it. The driver was totally unaware of what was about to happen. Jason knew the element of surprise was essential to the job at hand. After knocking on Luigi's door, he'd made the quick journey across to Joey who barked orders from underneath a car he was working on. At least this was a job that didn't involve Triads. That time bomb was fast approaching fever pitch.

The mule was two cars behind the van. It started a left turn towards the main road along the water. Jason rushed forward. The engine screamed at the sudden rush of speed as Jason was thrust into the back of the chair. Angling left, the Mule connected with the side of the van, throwing it in the wrong direction and into the corner of the building. The sound of smashing glass echoed through the street as the vans engine started up, pushing debris out of the way. A Chinese man in the store stood perfectly still. His shop had been caved in. Parts of the ceiling fell to the floor as the blue van hurried away. More fell when the battered Mule backed out and headed left, after the van.

Jason was in awe as he pulled round the next corner, keen to keep up the case. He didn't expect the shop to collapse so easily. Still, it caused a lot of damage to the van which is what he needed. That's why he'd stolen the Mule. It wasn't fast, but it could take the beating that this job required. He didn't have the time to swap vehicles and anything less would give up before causing enough damage to the van.

He finally caught up further down the road, right underneath the pedestrian bridge. Swinging further left, he nudged the van and saw the damage to the right hand side. An armoured van with a huge dent was not the best image for the security company, but these were exceptional circumstances. The van turned left, trying to lose the attacker. It was faster than the Mule and sped away, back down the road.

A cop car saw the commotion. It made a beeline for Jason who was already starting to gain on the van. It was stopped behind a transit at a red light. The Mule didn't stop. It went straight into the back, forcing the doors to cave in whilst forcing the van into the vehicle in front. A slight of hand on the wheel and he was free. Jason turned around the other side of the transit whose bumper was hanging on the road.

Jason gave chase again. He caught up underneath the Callahan Bridge, swerving into the damaged side of the van. A Perennial was caught in front of the Mule and the sudden forced threw the driver off balance, losing all control. It headed up the side of the hill as the van driver jumped from the vehicle, following it. The cop car stopped in front of the Mule and a cop got out, gun in hand. Jason left off two rounds. Nothing much, but enough to make the cop hide behind the door and stop looking for that moment while he made his escape.

The cab of this van was even worse than the last. It seemed the driver had been overly scarred. He turned the van around, it made a hideous noise as shards of metal scraped along the road, scoring the tarmac. Once again, roads meant nothing as he cut through bushes, narrowly missing several pedestrians. The cop gave chase. His gun fired at the van. It was pointless, even in this state the armour was strong enough to fend off attack. The car pulled to the side trying to overtake. Jason pulled to the right, squeezing it between the van and a low wall. The bonnet sprang up, forced up as the car narrowed and stalled. A streetlight fell below the van as it ploughed towards the lockup in the docks.

A cop car appeared at the last moment, jumping out from behind the dock wall. It overshot, past the van, catching just the corner of the bonnet. The left headlight and entire side of the car crunched into the van, collapsing under the pressure. The back swung up in the air, spinning the car around, forcing the back corner into the side of a building. While the cops were dazed, Jason headed right into the docks and the lockup, safe.

Running back, he hotwired a Kurma sat between the painted lines. Turning right out of the docks, he had enough time to see the cops get out of the battered car, shaking their heads. One of them kicked a tyre which in turn, fell flat on the floor.

Jason's pager started to shake and wail an awful tune. Apparently, 'El Burrow' wanted to offer him an 'opportunity' if he got to Hepburn Heights. It was worth a look, but it felt like a offer from a rival gang. He didn't want to end up between loyalties when the inevitable gang war broke out. Not that he was loyal to anyone but himself. This, all this, was just a diversion until he had access to the island.

* * *

Security at the car lot was too lax. Jason was in and out within a minute with a new car and no alarms to show for it. His 'opportunity' had been a race. He knew that the Kurma was too slow for such a task, so he needed something faster. For some reason, the fastest cars were always on the island. Over there, they lined the streets, but over here, this was basically the only place to get something and in comparison, a Banshee wasn't all that great. But it would have to do.

The phone conversion rang in his head as he drove to the start line. Apparently El Burrow was the Diablo leader who had been impressed by the reputation that Jason was gaining. Just what he needed, a reputation. He reached the start line by the bridge. Four FAST cars were waiting in the road. He barely had time to reach them before they started.

He wasn't sure how a Banshee could compete with these cars, but it was worth a try. He didn't factor in though that the other racers would use other tactics to win. Before he reached the first checkpoint, laid out by a painted circle on the road, two cars had just nudged his back corner, throwing the steering off. He hit the checkpoint sideways as the car careered out of control.

He raced to the next in second place, the car in first fighting him all the way, forcing him into a street light which didn't budge. Some quick manoeuvres had him back before the other cars could catch him, they were too busy fighting each other. But the Banshee had already taken the damage. Smoke already poured from the engine. He wasn't as fast as he had been and the other two attacked him. The first went for the front right wheel. The collision bent the axle making steering impossible. The second just slammed into the side and sped off.

The smoke was joined by flames, Jason jumped for cover, rolling on the road until he stopped. He was already in a new Kurma with the original driver crying on the floor when the Banshee exploded. Pedestrians were thrown from the blast while it rained mechanical components.

He couldn't be bothered with the race. The opponents were too fast and ruthless and until he could find a car to match, there was no point. It was a shame he'd never seen their faces though, or he'd be hunting them down to get even. He didn't like to lose. Shaking the embarrassment from his face, he made the short journey to Joey's. There was probably some work for him there.

When he entered the garage, Joey was talking to someone, who he later found out was Tony Cipriani, quite important in the mob world. Apparently, their conversation had been about Jason, something to worry about later. Joey led him to the main door as Tony got in the car, a Mafia Sentinel. These things were fast and armoured. Joey told him about a new job that needed a good driver. More work. More money. More trouble.

Joey lifted the main door as Jason joined Tony in the car. "Ok, kid. Drive me to the laundry in Chinatown first, I got a bit of business to take care of. Those washer women ain't been payin' their protection money." Protection money, a way to make money out of innocent people whilst forcing them into a world they didn't want to be in. What was he talking about? Jason knew there was no innocence in the world. The people who thought they were innocent were just naïve and ignorant. "And watch the car, Joey just fixed this junk heap. So no fancy crap, Ok?"

It was one of the longest journeys for Jason. Classic radio and no fancy crap. His pager started up again. Another message from El Burrow, "You'll get another chance to prove your reputation is well earned. Till the next race." Something to look forward to, he put the pager back in the pocket. "What was that?" Tony asked. "Nothing important," Jason shouted back over the music. "Well keep your mind on the job!" He parked up outside. Just a little too far back so he couldn't see the inside of the shop. "Wait here! Keep the engine running. This ain't a social call." Tony checked his gun as he stepped out. The 'no fancy crap' rule was going out the window. This would shortly become a getaway.

Tony stormed inside, slamming the doors open. Jason heard shouting but couldn't make any words out. Something big was up. This may well be the last straw between the Mafia and the Triads. A gunshot shattered the shouting. Followed by another. Tony came running out the door and jumped on the back seat. The cars suspension took a beating. Two Triads came running after him. "GET US OUTTA HERE!" Tony shouted, the sound muffled by the seat.

Jason's foot hit the floor as the hail of gunfire erupted at the car. The windows shattered as he sped off down the hill. Luckily, there hadn't been enough time to alert anyone, or he would have a chase on his hands. Tony finally managed to sit upright and give directions to his house.

Eventually reaching it, Tony started to talking. Jason didn't know whether to listen or if Tony was talking to himself, but it was just the kind of mad rant that led to rash decisions and a bloody mess. "The Triads think they can mess with me, the Triads, with ME!" He lent forward, "drop by later and we'll give them something to launder, their own blood stained clothes!" Reaching in his coat he fished out an envelope and handed it to Jason. "For this and something from Joey. Don't spend it all at once." He stepped out and headed up the small flight of stairs as Jason reversed out of the drive and headed for home. This was one long day that would lead to another. And another. And a few more after that.


End file.
